1. Technical Field
The present invention concerns a brake lining, brake caliper with brake lining, and a disk brake containing these components. In particular, the present invention involves a brake lining, which is guided into a brake caliper through an insertion opening in the latter. Further, the present invention involves disk brakes for especially difficult environmental conditions, such as are encountered by all-terrain vehicles, off-road vehicles, delivery vehicles, or agricultural vehicles.
2. Related Art
Traditionally, disk brakes are comprised of at least one brake disk and at least one caliper with at least two brake linings. Disk brakes are installed in motor vehicles and in machines to brake a shaft or a wheel. The brake linings used within the calipers traditionally consist of a mounting element and the friction lining. The main advantage of disk brakes over the still occasionally used drum brakes is their lower weight, superior heat dissipation, and easier maintenance.
These brake linings are described, e.g. in the German published paper DE 197 05 836 A1. DE 197 05 836 A1 describes a brake lining where the mounting element has a sandwich-like design in order to decrease weight and improve the mechanical characteristics of the brake lining.
For heavy use applications, the brake linings are often designed to achieve even distribution of pressure via so-called compression distribution plates, in order to avoid uneven wearing of the brake lining. The compression distribution plates also allow the use of thinner, and thus lighter, brake linings. The utilization of compression distribution plates and so-called retaining springs is explained, for example, in EP 0 248 385 B1.
EP 0 248 385 B1 gives particular attention to the use of and the need for retaining springs. The retaining springs serve to fix the brake linings in the mounting element.
In order to decrease the weight of the brake linings and to simplify the manufacturing process, the brake lining and its mounting plate can consist of the same material. This is described very clearly in the published paper EP 0 745 781 A2. In this paper, brake linings are described where the mounting plate and the friction lining are manufactured from the same material.
This has the chief advantage that the entire brake lining can be manufactured in a single process.
With today's standard disk brakes, the brake lining is pushed through an opening into the caliper from the outside and is then fastened within the brake my means of retaining springs and locking mechanisms. This type of fastening is advantageous in that the caliper need not be removed or disassembled in order to replace the brake linings. Thus it is possible, for example in the case of a car, to take off just the wheels in order to replace brake linings. However, the opening in the calipers needed for the installation of the brake lining involves a disadvantage in that the lining/spring/locking mechanism/brake disk assembly is exposed in this area. This means that dirt, such as loose asphalt, tar, dust, or even oily particles, can penetrate into the brake through the opening. These particles can accumulate, for example between the brake cylinders and the brake lining and can therefore lead to skewed abrasion. If any contamination of this kind—a piece of loose asphalt, for example—lodges between the brake lining and the brake disk, it could ruin the brake disk. Alternatively, other problems such as jamming of the brake linings, skewed abrasion, or breaking of parts may lead to loss of brake performance and other similar problems.
One option for preventing the infiltration of contaminants between the disk brakes and the friction lining is disclosed, for example, in the German pre-published patent application 26 53 607. In this document, an attempt to prevent the infiltration of contaminants between the friction lining and the brake disk by means of scraper plates is described. This principle is best described with the phrase “brake windshield wiper.” The design described therein has several disadvantages, including, for example, the fact that the dirt scrapers are constantly touching the brake disk, which means it is permanently subject to wear even without any braking action. The effectiveness of the system increases with an increase in the pressure on the dirt scrapers, which, however, simultaneously also increases wear and an overall brake effect within the system.
It is one of the objectives of the present invention to provide a brake lining and disk brake which avoid or at least mitigate the above problems simply and inexpensively.
It is another objective of the invention to provide a brake lining that is suitable for resolving the problems described above in regard to existing brake calipers and disk brakes.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to respond to increased demands in terms of the safety and convenience of brake systems.